LEISURE boss Mark Smith is to face stiff questioning over why the final bill for the revamped Devizes Leisure Centre was £325,000 more than planned.

Cash strapped Kennet District Council is trying to keep a close eye on its budgets and all senior officers have to monitor their budgets and submit quarterly reports.

The latest report from Mr Smith's Environment, Amenities and Leisure department reveals the Devizes Leisure Centre refurbishment project is significantly overspent.

Councillors who meet for the Corporate Finance Scrutiny sub committee on Tuesday are recommended to ask Mr Smith to produce a detailed report on why the overspend has happened ready for their March meeting.

The new look leisure centre reopened in July after £2.4 million was spent on a refurbishment which included a new reception area, pool changing rooms, separate dryside changing rooms and an upstairs fitness studio. The old fitness suite became an activity room where a creche is held.

The revamped building has been widely praised by customers and user numbers are up but the financial side of the project has always been a headache.

In April 2005 it was revealed that the bill for the refurbishment had gone up by £500,000 after the district council decided to upgrade gas, water and electricity connections to the the centre.

The district council originally wanted to spend £3 million on the project but failed to get financial help from the National Lottery.

This meant that much more modest plans were drawn up and these were initially priced at £1.5 million and that amount was put in to the council's reserves.

Councillors then agreed another £370,000 for the work, to bring the estimate to £1.87 million.

In 2005 the council revealed the final price agreed with Devizes builders Gaiger and Son for the work was £2.4 million which included new utilities.

This money came from the council's capital reserves.

Much of this money came from cash paid to the council by Sarsen Housing Association for the transfer of housing stock.